Work-holding clamp



(No Model.)

w. J. AVEY WORK HOLDING CLAMP.

No. 504,960. Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

IN VE N T05 MA/L A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. AVEY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

WORK-HOLDING CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,960, datedSeptember 12, 1893.

Application filed May 6. 1893. SerialNo. 473,245. (No model.)

To. all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. AVEY, of Cincinnati, in the county ofHamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Work-Holding Clamp, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

In certain kinds of wood working machinery the knives work up through atable and the wood to be operated on is passed over the knives and uponthe table top. Guides of various kinds are used, but as a rule the workis held in the hands, and if a knot is struck and the work slips theoperator is liable to injury.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, strong and easilyoperated and adj usted clamp which is adapted to be applied to machinesof this kind, being intended to be attached to the table top; which maybe quickly made to fit different kinds of work such as semi-circularpieces, straight pieces, &c., and which prevents the workmans hands fromcoming into injurious contact with the cutters and also facilitates theprogress of the work, as it forms a convenient guide and when once adjusted to a certain piece permits other similar pieces tobe readilyinserted in it.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of constructionand combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism embodying my invention; andFig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

The clamp is provided with a suitable base plate which has alongitudinal slot 11 to receive the bolts 12 by which the base plate isclamped to the table 13, which is of the usual kind and through whichthe cutters may be made to operate in the usual way. The base plate hasformed integral with it a post 14 in the upper middle portion of whichis a box 15, and this box is provided with a set screw 16 adapted tofasten in place a shaft 17 which extends horizontally through the box15, the shaft 17 having at one end a head 18 which has a vertical boreto receive a vertical shaft 19, and the shaft is adapted to be moved1ongitudinally through the head and is fastened by a set screw 20. Theshaft 17 projects outward beyond the forward end of the base plate 10,and the shaft 19 projects downward in front of the base plate and has atits lower end a horizontal cross bar 21 with arms 22 projecting towardthe base plate and having pivoted in them rollers 23 which are adaptedto contact with the edge of the work 24 to be clamped by the device. Thework 24 maybe either straight, curved, or of any usual shape,

and as above remarked,one edge of it is heldagainst the rollers 23 whilethe back edge abuts with a spring plate 25 which may be curved to anynecessary extent, as shown in Fig. 1, or maybe straight, as illustratedby dotted lines in the same figure.

The spring plate is secured at its center, as shown at26, to thefrontend of the base plate 10 and this leaves its ends freeto spring. On theback side of the spring plate 25 and near the ends, are lugs 27, towhich are pivoted rearwardly extending links 28 which are slottedlongitudinally and these links are bound, by means of thumb screws 29,to other similar links 30, and the latter extend rearward, converging asthey approach the rear end of the base plate to which they are securedby thumb screws 31. It will be seen that by properly manipulating thelinks and thumb screws, the-plate 25 may be fastened in a straightposition or at any necessary curve.

The post 14 has at the top and near opposite edges, boxes 32, which areparallel with the box 15, and these boxes are provided with set screws33 by which the horizontal shafts 34 are held in place, these shaftsbeing adapted to be adjusted longitudinally in the boxes; and at theirforward ends the shafts terminate in slotted heads 35 which are adaptedto receive and carry the spring arms 36, these being held in place inthe boxes by set screws 37 and having at their lower ends casters 38,the rollers of which are adapted to press downward upon the top surfaceof the work 24.

When the clamp is to be used, it is first fitted to a piece of work 24:,similar to other pieces which are to be operated upon, and to do thisthe work is placed flat upon the table so as to abut with the plate 25,the shafts 17 and 19 adjusted so that the rollers 23 will press firmlyagainst the front side of the work, the shafts 34 are adjusted so as tobring the heads 35 above the work, the arms 36 are adjusted in such amanner as to make the rollers of the casters 38 press firmly upon thetop of the work, and the links 29 and 30 are secured in such a way as tohold the back or spring plate 25 firmly against the back of the work.The Work 24 is thus clamped on all sides and is held securely so thatthe knives may be operated in a proper manner upon it, and after onepiece of work has been finished it is pushed out endwise from the clampand another piece pushed in, the springiness of the plate 25 and arms 36permitting this to be easily done, and yet the said parts serve to holdthe work with sufficient firmness.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A work holding clamp, comprising a spring platesupported edgewise, means for flexing the plate, clamping rollersarranged opposite the spring plate and adjustable to and from the same,and a second set of adjustable rollers adapted to bear upon the top ofthe work, substantially as described.

2. A work holding clamp, comprising a spring plate held edgewise, meansfor flexing the said plate, clamping rollers arranged opposite thespring plate and adjustable to and from the same, yieldingly supportedrollers for engaging the top of the work, and means for adjusting bothof said rollers horizontally and vertically, substantially as described.

3. A work holding clamp, comprising a table, a base plate securedthereon and having an upwardly extending post, a spring plate secured tothe front end of the base plate at the foot of the post, fastening linkssecured to the back of the spring plate and also to the base plate, alongitudinal adjustable shaft carried by the top of the post andextending parallel with the table top, a cross bar suspended rigidlyfrom the shaft and carrying rollers which turn in vertical axes andopposite the spring plate, a second set of shafts arranged parallel withthe first shaft and mounted adj ustably in the post, spring arms carriedby the second set of shafts, and casters' secured to the arms andadapted to press upon the work, substantially as described.

4. A work holding clamp, comprising a base plate having apost in oneend, a central shaft mounted in the post and extending parallel with thebase plate, means for adjusting the shaft longitudinally, a verticalshaft adjustable in the outer end of the central shaft, a cross barcarried at the lower end of the vertical shaft and provided withclamping rollers, a spring plate secured to the base plate and extendingopposite the clamping rollers, a fastening device for fixing theposition of the spring plate, and vertically adjustable casters arrangedin front of the spring plate and adapted to ride on the work heldagainst the plate, substantially as described.

vWILLIAM J. AVEY. Witnesses:

GEORGE H. SCHAEFER, ELIZABETH AVEY.

